When playing and/or learning to play a stringed instrument, the pressure applied by the player on the neck of the instrument with their thumb, and on the finger board with their other fingers is important to the quality of sound the instrument produces as well as the physical ease of playing. With string instruments that are supported with the chin on a chinrest, such as a violin and viola, the pressure exerted on the chinrest also affects the quality of the performance. Many students struggle with the amount of pressure to apply to the neck, the finger board, and/or the chinrest of an instrument, or are unaware that a difference in pressure would affect performance quality. Some students and/or performers experience muscular pain, nerve pain, and headaches, and sometimes even damage from applying the wrong pressure to the chinrest or neck of an instrument. Back, neck, shoulder and arm pain may be common. Some students and/or performers may decide against further study or performance on the instrument because of the pain.
Although recording systems exist, which provide feedback to musicians for evaluation after a performance, it is beneficial to have the feedback in real time as the instrument is being played. With real time feedback, a student or player is able to immediately have evaluation of the different positions and pressures applied. Some instruments have been modified with pressure sensors ingrained into the finger board to give real time feedback. However, infusing the sensors into a string instrument affects the integrity of the instrument and would not be a practical modification for the general player population. These systems lack the novelty of customizability and interchangeability across instruments.
As can be seen, there exists a motivation to provide feedback of the pressure applied to the neck, fingerboard, and/or chinrest of a stringed instrument to a performer in real time.